Islanders trade Ehrhoff's rights to Sabres

The New York Islanders traded negotiating rights to defenseman Christian Ehrhoff to the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday, a day after acquiring the rights from the Vancouver Canucks. New York received a fourth-round pick in 2012 from Buffalo, the same thing it traded to Vancouver. Ehrhoff, set to become an unrestricted free agent Friday, had 14 goals, 36 assists and a plus-19 rating in 79 games for Vancouver last season. He had two goals and 10 assists in the Canucks' run to the Stanley Cup finals, but was a minus-13. The 28-year-old German defenseman has 53 goals, 173 assists and 338 penalty minutes in 500 regular-season games with San Jose and Vancouver. He has seven goals and 27 assists in 73 playoff games.